Headlight Orientation Question
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From: Visalia CA
Headlight Orientation Question
Here's another dumb question . . . but I'm at a loss:
Just installed 4 brand new Sylvania halogen headlights on my '74 C3. (This is the project car that was purchased in boxes <g>). Anyway, I've always felt that the "printing" on the face of the headlights should always be facing up, i.e. "Sylvania", "Halogen", etc.
The headlights will only fit into the buckets one way due to the little glass tabs on them that line up with the bucket's recesses. So no problem, you just rotate the headlight until the tabs drop into the recesses. Everything was fine until I got to the hi beam on the passenger side. When I rotate that headlight, the only position it will fit - the the printing faces 90 degrees to the right. It's not the headlight, as it is identical to the driver's side, and will seat right-side-up if installed on the driver's side. It appears to be controlled by the two adjuster mounts and the spring mount on the bucket - which cannot be moved!
See photos below (the top one is the driver's side, while the bottom one is the passenger side:
Any thoughts?
Thanks again in advance.
Wayne
Just installed 4 brand new Sylvania halogen headlights on my '74 C3. (This is the project car that was purchased in boxes <g>). Anyway, I've always felt that the "printing" on the face of the headlights should always be facing up, i.e. "Sylvania", "Halogen", etc.
The headlights will only fit into the buckets one way due to the little glass tabs on them that line up with the bucket's recesses. So no problem, you just rotate the headlight until the tabs drop into the recesses. Everything was fine until I got to the hi beam on the passenger side. When I rotate that headlight, the only position it will fit - the the printing faces 90 degrees to the right. It's not the headlight, as it is identical to the driver's side, and will seat right-side-up if installed on the driver's side. It appears to be controlled by the two adjuster mounts and the spring mount on the bucket - which cannot be moved!
See photos below (the top one is the driver's side, while the bottom one is the passenger side:
Any thoughts?
Thanks again in advance.
Wayne
Last edited by wayneyada; Nov 3, 2013 at 11:32 PM.
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Joined: Dec 2003
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From: Fremont CA
Something is wrong! Yes headlamps should install like in 1st photo. Maybe your bucket is installed wrong but, all the adjuster screws would be pretty crooked. The patterns in the lenses of the headlamps direct the light and focus it, the 2nd photo with the sideways almp would cause many problems with oncomming drivers.
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From: Visalia CA
Due to the bucket's two adjuster slots and the spring hold-down, the bucket itself can only mount one way - to the two adjusters and spring - which are all secured to the headlight mounting base. Note that this "layout" is not identical - but rather a mirror image to the driver's side. It appears that to "get it right", the bucket mounting pattern would have to be identical to the driver side . . . and to my knowledge I can't see how to do that.
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From: Visalia CA
Thanks Alan and Solid LT1 for your input. I pulled both inside buckets off and could not find any letter designations on either one (heavy paint). However by comparing the two, they appear to be identical. Since the problem bucket lined up with the mounting screw/posts and spring, I had assumed that it WAS the correct one for the passenger side. However, since as you mentioned Alan + searching the parts books I see that they ARE different part numbers, that indicates to me that although they may LOOK the same and may mount interchangeably, evidently the recesses for the glass "bumps" must be in different positions.
Long story short, I will order what is said to be correct part for passenger side today and see if that resolves the issue.
Thanks much!
Long story short, I will order what is said to be correct part for passenger side today and see if that resolves the issue.
Thanks much!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 76
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From: Visalia CA
Thanks Alan and Solid LT1 for your input. I pulled both inside buckets off and could not find any letter designations on either one (heavy paint). However by comparing the two, they appear to be identical. Since the problem bucket lined up with the mounting screw/posts and spring, I had assumed that it WAS the correct one for the passenger side. However, since as you mentioned Alan + searching the parts books I see that they ARE different part numbers, that indicates to me that although they may LOOK the same and may mount interchangeably, evidently the recesses for the glass "bumps" must be in different positions.
Long story short, I will order what is said to be correct part for passenger side today and see if that resolves the issue.
Thanks much!
Long story short, I will order what is said to be correct part for passenger side today and see if that resolves the issue.
Thanks much!
The headlight bucket designated as the right side hi beam arrived today and yes the bucket and mounting connectors are identical to the one I took out however the recesses for the headlight tabs WERE DIFFERENT. And guess what? When I installed the bucket and the headlight, voila . . . the headlight is now right-side-up . . . and all is well with the world (for now anyway). Thanks for all your help. Wayne
